


Sharing Commutes

by bellygunnr



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kissing in the Rain, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 12:28:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20258113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellygunnr/pseuds/bellygunnr
Summary: Walking together every morning lays the groundwork for falling harder than the drizzling rain.





	Sharing Commutes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yails](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yails/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Leather Jackets](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17340038) by [yails](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yails/pseuds/yails). 

It wasn't meant to happen, but one could only run into Rider so many times before something happens. Something like a routine, a constant quiet morning walking shoulder-to-shoulder because they rode the same train to Inkopolis Square. The first few days, Rider broke away to sit by himself, taking up an entire seat between himself and his Dynamo.

It was raining when that pattern broke.

Rider held the umbrella out over her head, having noted one of two things: she wasn't wearing a long-sleeved shirt and the bus station didn't have an overhang. She steps further under the new shielding, peering upward.

"Didn't take you for the knight type, Rider."

"Not my fault you dressed like you're going to the beach. It's storming all day, you want to die?"

He didn't deny it! she giggled.

With the two of them combined, they take up three seats. She risks the chance to examine Rider more closely, noting with a frown the hints of teal near one eye. Old makeup he forgot to wash off?

To her surprise, Rider gets up when she does.

"I thought you got off after me, Rider?"

"It's still raining, Metry."

Metry giggled under her breath. As they disembarked the train, Rider put the umbrella over their heads immediately, doggedly following after her. She glances up at him every now and again. Each glance, Rider was wearing a deeper and deeper scowl.

He looked like he was in pain.

"If it pains you this much to walk me to the Square, why are you doing it?"

A beat of silence.

"What was that, Metry?" Rider says, peering down at her. "Oh. It doesn't pain me at all, don't be stupid."

Rider returns to stoically escorting Metry through the rain, their shoulders bumping together every now and again. Inkopolis Square is, predictably, empty when they arrive.

"Well, I need to meet my team, Metry. Are you going to be okay?"

She can't help but blink at the low voice, the concern radiating there. She blinks again when the umbrella is pressed into her hands.

"Keep it. I'll be fine."

With that, they go their separate ways.

  
The next day on the train, they sit together. Metry playfully begins footsie with Rider, eliciting the occasional bark of laughter from him.

It was... something else to hear.

All hers to hear.

Her mind goes blank as pain zings up her foot.

"Yeowch! Rider!" she cries reproachfully.

"Sorry, sorry! Sorry-- I didn't mean to... Are you okay?"

In their game, his boot had twisted, pinching her foot between steel toes and metal flooring.

"Y- yes, I think so," she says.

Rider gets off with her again.

  
Metry had just finished a solo Turf War. To her surprise, Rider was in the Square, leaning against his Dynamo as he waited in Crusty Sean's line. An idea occurred to her, and before better sense could stamp it down, she obeyed it.

"Riiider!"

She wrapped her arms around his middle, giggling.

"I thought you'd be gone by now!" Metry said excitedly. "What are you up to?"

To her surprise, there was no violent outburst, only an exhausted grunt. Rider straightened his back but let Metry hang on, as if he needed the Dynamo Roller to stay standing.

"Hey, Metry. Yeah, I stayed out late today," he said. "Getting a drink then going home."

Oddly subdued...

"Lets walk home together!"

"Yeah, we can do that, Metry."

  
Rider lays down that night, arms numb from Turfing for six hours, and stares up at the ceiling. Metry's on the mind. She hasn't been off the mind for a few days.

A week.

Longer.

As he wills himself into sleep, his chest is fluttering.

Still electrified from earlier that day.

  
Rider's disappointed to not see Metry on the train.

He smiles with relief seeing her in the square. If it weren't for her team, he would have approached her, but he keeps his distance.

Bamboo gives him a meaningful look.

"It's nothing," he says when questioned.

  
It's raining again. Rider's umbrella is still with Metry. He braves the dribbling water, jacket zipped right up to the collar. The jog to where he meets Metry is worse than usual.

"Rider! You're all wet!"

His cheeks glow, embarrassed.

"Yeah, sorry."

He's surprised to see his umbrella held high over her head. Their shoulders bump together as Metry puts them both under the protective cover.

Rider's insides go wobbly. His breath catches. He stops breathing altogether when Metry touches over his face, checking for water burns. She smiles when she doesn't find any.

"At least you didn't get hurt, Rider. Are we still Turfing together? You said Blazer couldn't make it?"

That was right. Blazer had some kind of school junction.

He kisses Metry on the mouth.

Rider laughs with surprise, with relief, when Metry kisses him back. They hold the umbrella between them with two hands, Rider's over Metry's, keeping them dry as they sweep themselves into each other.

"You are a knight-type, Rider," Metry giggles.

"I'm not," he rebuffs.


End file.
